Wandering around Australia, you might want to watch your step — the country currently has more than 50,000 abandoned mines. Some represent a significant threat from contamination; others may pose safety…

Part of Shoalwater Bay in Queensland, where the federal government blocked a major new coal port in 2008 over its “clearly unacceptable” environmental impacts".
Daniel E. Smith/Wikimedia CommonsMay 13, 2014

Deep cuts to environmental programs and staff predicted in today’s federal budget aren’t the only “green” cuts that Australians should be concerned about. The federal government is currently holding an…

A report criticising government oversight of a major Gladstone harbour dredging project has warned against cutting resources for environmental monitoring and compliance.
Flickr/GreensMPsMay 12, 2014

A long-awaited report on environmental failures at the biggest port along the Great Barrier Reef coastline and today’s federal budget may not seem connected – but if you read the report, it’s clear just…

Four out of five Australians live within 50 kilometres of the coast – but expanding cities are taking a toll on our environment.
Paul Boyce/FlickrMay 7, 2014

In the lead-up to the budget, the story of crisis has been hammered home, but there’s more to a country than its structural deficit. So how is Australia doing overall? In this special series, ten writers…

Australia’s environmental laws are there to protect places like the Great Barrier Reef.
Flickr/eutrophication&hypoxiaDecember 13, 2013

The new Federal Government has approved a broad framework for achieving a “one-stop-shop” that will hand to state and territory governments the final decisions on projects assessed under Australia’s main…

The Queensland and Australian government’s draft strategic assessment of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area has been released today. The strategic assessment was prompted by the 2012 UNESCO-IUCN…

Many coal and CSG projects will affect groundwater, much of which is already in use.
Flickr/rhondda.pOctober 8, 2013

New environment minister Greg Hunt recently announced 50 large coal and coal seam gas developments to be pushed through Australia’s environmental approval process, including assessment under the new federal…

The Franklin River in Tasmania, site of the landmark decision by the Commonwealth to stop a state-proposed dam.
Flickr/Two Big PawsSeptember 29, 2013

The Commonwealth will not delegate to the states decisions under its national environmental laws in which the states have a “conflict of interest”. Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt confirmed this…

Queensland’s groundwater is vital to the continued success of its agriculture.
Brian YapAugust 13, 2013

Mine operators have proposed nine major new coal mines for the Galilee Basin in central Queensland. Those proposals currently being assessed by the Queensland government could significantly impact water…

While the political focus in Australia was on the Labor Party leadership challenge, the Opposition released its policy for “a one-stop-shop for environmental approvals”. The policy claims that handing…

The lack of transparency for the economic modelling of the Galilee Coal Project means the public must rely on the word of Waratah Coal.
AAP Image/Lukas CochMay 22, 2013

Clive Palmer’s Waratah Coal claims its Galilee Coal Project, which will create four underground mines, two open-cut mines, and 468 kilometres of railway line in central Queensland, will bring economic…

Water is in short supply and high demand in Australia: who should have the final say on its use?
May 19, 2013

The release of a Senate report into a Commonwealth water trigger marks another chapter in a debate that has simmered and bubbled for 30 years in Australia. The report recommends that the main Commonwealth…

There has been an acceleration in the number of coal seam gas and mining proposals approved in Australia. Since 2010, eight projects have been given the green light in Queensland alone. All projects have…

Take care! The precautionary principle can only go so far without data to rely on.
Jeremy BuckinghamApril 16, 2013

Yesterday, the Federal government issued new recommendations for methods to estimate emissions from conventional gas and from coal seam gas production. So what did we learn? The proposals seek to refine…